Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan until hot. Add the onion, garlic, and carrot, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened. Add the tomatoes and oregano. Cook for an hour, stirring occasionally and using a spoon to break up any large chunks of tomato. Optionally, use an immersion blender for a smoother sauce.

Mix the tofu, nondairy cream cheese, tahini, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and basil in a large bowl. It’s easier (and more fun!) to do this with your hands. It should be have a texture and consistency resembing ricotta cheese.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

I’m a big fan of Isa Chandra Moskowitz. This recipe is adapted from her version of Cashew Queso. I’ve shortened the ingredient list and simplified the method to make this delicious sauce even easier to make on a moment’s notice. Enjoy over beans, grains, and veggies as an easy way add a lot of flavor and nutrition to a simple meal. It also makes great vegan nachos!

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 jalapeño chile, seeded and sliced (keeps seeds if you want more heat)

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for two more minutes. Put all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Notes:

For vegetable broth, I prefer the brand Rapunzel. I put the cube along with the water in the blender rather than heating up the water and mixing the broth separately.

If I don’t have jalapeño chile around, I use dried chili peppers. There’s no need to fry them. Simply put them in the blender along with everything else. Since everything else is shelf-stable, I can make this sauce any time.

Some people soak cashews so that they blend more smoothly. That could be useful if you don’t have a high-powered blender.

Instructions

This easy vinaigrette is perfect for topping salads, as a dipping sauce for bread, or drizzled over a pizza.

Ingredients

A pinch of sea salt, maybe 1/4 tsp.

A dash of black pepper, maybe 1/8 tsp.

1/2 tsp. Dijon Mustard

3/4 tsp. pure maple syrup

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 shallot, minced (optional)

1/4 to 1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

In a small bowl add the first 5 ingredients. Whisk in the olive oil. Taste for balance adding more salt, vinegar, oil or maple syrup in very small amounts, if needed, and drizzle over a large salad or store in the refrigerator for at least a week.